The global network of alternative communications is growing and gaining momentum. Its strength is based on collaboration through social organizing and media reform campaigns to adapt information and communication for the benefit of all. These networks differ in terms of space in terms of type, focus and location but are united by their non-commercial character and opposition to imperialist power structures. International alternative networks include non-profit and private organizations as well as local sites that support democratizing information reforms and encourage changes in communication. They also develop new communication infrastructures that aid local connections and global shifts in relation to social and movements. They also create a system of local-local, transnational (especially south-south) and global links that bypass imperial dynamics north-south.
Around the globe alternatives to media started to appear in the early 1990s. They took advantage of newly available alternatives to corporate production media channels to promote their message of consumer development and community empowerment. Initially, they were local and later merged and linked across regional and national boundaries to create a broader range of media options for everyone.
In contrast to the traditional infrastructure for communications that relies on massive investments in capital and infrastructure, these alternatives rely on volunteers to help support their efforts. They can therefore offer customers lower prices and more flexible package options. They can also set up infrastructure more quickly, allowing for a more rapid rollout of 5G technology and greater expansion of coverage areas. This can aid businesses in competing more effectively on the market by making sure their customers have access to cutting-edge technologies.